The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-29
THE LATEST HORROR.
John H. Burton, the Archi-
tect, Murdered.
MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY.
.-- O'Clock This Mcrning-The
slayer's Story.

| Of the many horrors that have
thrilled and shocked the community
| during the past few days. the one we
| regretfully chronicle this morning will
be considered by all who know the un-
fortunate victim as being the greatest.
Att o'clock last night, John 81. Bur
ton, the well-known young architect,
was shot and instantly killed by
a man named A. H. Martin, who
is at present occupied as a bar
tender for NJ. Mclaughlin, who runs
| The saloon in the GOdbe. Pitts building.
| The affair is SO shrouded IL mystery as
! to almost defy any attempt to unrayel
| it, out from what could be cleaned from
| various parties last evening the circum-
| stances appear to be about as follows {:
| Martin left the saloon at abOut IL. 80,
and according to his statement had been
advised by his employer to be careful
when going home at late hour at
night, because someone might think he
had money on him. He says that when
he had nearly reached his residence, IN
the alley-way known as Bus5y Avenue,
a few doors east of the corner of First
West and Second South Streets, he first
noticed man, whose actions he did not
like. What those actions we're he did
not state, but says that after
he had turned into the alley, he noticed
the man watching him. He returned q
few steps and fired one shot over his
head, commanding him to halt. The
man did so. and Martin then marched
him to the corner, and down the street
to the front of McCoy's stable. few
doors north of the residence of Emeline
B. Wells. He then called upon Mccoy
to help him take Burton to the City
Hall, and commanded the latter to
throw up his hands. The police were
telephoped for, and the response came
from the hall that they were all out on
the streets Burton had his hands up
all this time. but occasionally rested
them on the lappels of his coat. Martin
claims that while he was waiting for
Mccoy, Burton made grab at him.
and he then fired. This, in
brief, is the story of Martin.
1t does not agree, however, with that
told by eye-witnesses of the killing, who
claim that when Burton was shot he
| was at least ten feet away from his
slayer. He had repeatedly said that he
| would offer no resistance; that he would
go to the City Hall without any
| him." when Burton replied, mo.
I'll be damned if you dol" or
| something similar. Just at this
moment, Martin fred and Burton fell
| backwards, dying ID 8 few seconds. The
| only words that he said were: "He ire
| ferrlng to Martin) must be fool. "
| Frank Pitman said Martin was very
| much excited, and he was sure he was
going to shoot at Burton several sec
onds before he heard the gun go off.
| Pitman claims that Burton did not
make q movement towards Martin,
but at the time he was killed
he was at least ten PAGES from
hum, andl Pitman's story is cor
roborated by the fact that no powder
burns were discovered on the body.
The bullet apparently entered the
body just above the heart. but at this
writing it Is impossible to tell whether
that organ was touched or not. The
weapon used is one of those murderous
looking bulldogs.
Martin was arrested and is now in
Jail. He was formerly soldier, but
married a Miss Ferguson couple
of years ago, and has generally fol
lowed the occupation of bar-tendlnf
since that time. He has figured in the
Police Court once or twice, but not OF
any serious charge, so far as the writer
KNOWS.
The body of the unfortunate yount
man was taken to the city sexton 8
and word was conveyed to his relative!
of his awful fate. He was yount
man well known throughout the Terri
tory, and was engaged in superintend
ing the building of the new hotel a
Soda Springs at the time of his death
He was dressed in a blacl
SLOUGH hat, woollen shirt. and hat
! on q pair of rubber boots-such cos
tune as he is in the habit of wearing
when doing chores around the house
He was of a quiet and inoffensive ma
ture, and one of the last people on
n would ever imagine likely to meet sucl
death. In his pocket was found
special railway ticket from Salt Lake t.
Soda Springs, and the date would indi
cate that he intended leaving for tina
, point this morning.
Mr.. Burton leaves a wife and on
child, and at the hour of writing thi
the former had not been appraised of he
q husbands death, merely being told the
!, he had been badly injured. The effec
of the news upon her in her present col
: dition, it is feared, will prove most ser
Gus.
It was impossible to learn this morn
n ing what errand had called him out
8 1.-THE hour he met his death, and it ws
also impossible to learn where he ha
i last been seen before Martin had m,
him near the alley-way and taken hiI
y around to the stable.
A coroner's inquest will doubtless b
t held to-morI ow, when further light ma
be she'd upon what now appears to
Q d .biooded murder-as mysteriot
O tragedy as ever occurred in the al
3 nails of crime.